Baltimore, MD – Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown has joined a bipartisan coalition of 40 attorneys general in a unified stand against a controversial congressional amendment that would prohibit states from enforcing any laws or regulations related to artificial intelligence (AI) for the next decade.
The group voiced its concerns in a formal letter to Congress, opposing a provision added to the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee’s budget reconciliation bill. The amendment would effectively bar states from regulating AI and automated decision-making systems—an area many states have actively legislated amid the rapid evolution of the technology and in the absence of federal regulation.
“AI technology can create new jobs and opportunities for Maryland’s economy,” said Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown. “But without proper guardrails, it can also undermine the integrity of our elections, threaten consumers’ privacy, and leave Marylanders vulnerable to convincing scams.”
“As the fourth largest economy in the world — built in large part on technological innovation and a commitment to protecting our residents — California knows that consumer protections and innovation go hand in hand. Allowing states to be responsive to AI and adopt new protections while still nurturing innovation serves both industry and consumers,” said California Attorney General Bonta. “I strongly oppose any effort to block states from developing and enforcing common-sense regulation; states must be able to protect their residents by responding to emerging and evolving AI technology.”
“AI promises immense potential for progress, but it also brings significant risks that must be addressed responsibly,” said New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella. “State attorneys general have led the way in protecting consumers from the harmful effects of unregulated AI. This proposed amendment would undermine those efforts, stripping away important consumer protections without offering any solution to fill the void. I stand with my colleagues in urging Congress to reject this dangerous provision.”
Brown emphasized that the amendment would strip states of the ability to protect their citizens from real and emerging risks tied to AI, particularly when no meaningful federal protections are in place. He joined fellow attorneys general in urging Congress to reject the proposed 10-year moratorium on state-level AI enforcement.
The Risks of Unregulated AI
The coalition’s letter highlights several AI-related dangers that have already begun to affect American consumers, including:
Election interference and misinformation
Fraudulent scams and synthetic media (“deepfakes”)
Invasion of privacy through surveillance and data misuse
Bias and discrimination in automated systems, such as hiring or loan approvals
The attorneys general argue that a blanket federal prohibition on state action would leave AI entirely unregulated at all levels of government, exposing Americans to widespread harm.
“State laws and regulations have been developed over years through careful consideration and extensive stakeholder input from consumers, industry, and advocates,” the letter states. “In the years ahead, additional matters—many unforeseeable today given the rapidly evolving nature of this technology—are likely to arise.”
The effort, spearheaded by attorneys general across the political spectrum, signals a rare moment of bipartisan agreement on the urgency of AI oversight. In total, Attorney General Brown and 39 other attorneys general signed the letter, representing nearly every U.S. state and territory, including both Republican and Democratic leaders.
“We’re going to see AI everywhere in the next few years, and bad actors are going to intentionally misuse it to commit crimes and scam people,” said North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson. “Our General Assembly has been taking the threat of AI seriously and has passed laws to keep our children safe from AI abuse. The federal government shouldn’t stop states from working to keep people safe.”
“As the highest legal officers in our respective states, we are already aware that AI is being used for nefarious purposes, including the creation of child sexual abuse material and attempted election interference,” Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said. “I urge Congress to reject this amendment because states need the flexibility to respond to these new and emerging threats posed by the rapid advancements in AI technology.”
Signatories include the attorneys general of Colorado, Tennessee, New Hampshire, Vermont, Arizona, California, New York, Texas, Illinois, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia, among others.
What’s Next
The coalition is calling on Congress to reject the proposed AI regulatory moratorium and instead work alongside states to build a flexible, responsive legal framework that evolves with the technology.
With federal legislation on AI still in early development, state governments have been leading the charge in enacting consumer protection measures and ethical guidelines for AI use. Advocates warn that suppressing this momentum would not only delay responsible innovation but also leave citizens unprotected from fast-emerging threats.
In the absence of federal safeguards, states like Maryland argue they must retain the authority to act decisively as AI reshapes the economy, governance, and society. The attorneys general coalition insists that any regulatory gap could have “dangerous consequences for the American people.”
“As AI technology rapidly advances, the threats it poses are coming into view,” said Arizona Attorney General Mayes. “From displacing workers to guzzling precious water supplies and enabling fraud and exploitation, there is urgent work to be done to protect Arizonans from the dangers of this powerful technology. We must act now to establish guardrails and prevent harm from AI. Congress must not tie the hands of state leaders working to protect their residents and ensure the ethical development of this rapidly evolving technology.”
“AI is a new frontier for consumer protection,” said Vermont Attorney General Clark. “With this emerging technology, we need to make sure that elections are protected, consumers are safe from scams, and that our data privacy is preserved. I am proud to lead this bipartisan effort, joined by attorneys general from across the country, and to support the work of legislative leaders in protecting Americans.”
“The combined efforts of the states and the federal government have been, at best, barely enough to protect consumers from Big Tech,” said Tennessee Attorney General Skrmetti. “AI has incredible potential but amplifies every risk we’ve seen from Big Tech and creates new risks we don’t fully understand. Eliminating state oversight through this reconciliation amendment guarantees Americans will suffer repeated violations of their privacy, consumer protection, and antitrust laws.”
